A BOOKING website has warned travelers to be aware of fraudulent offers as the use of AI tools continues to increase.
Experts recommend that people be extremely careful when clicking on links and checking their legitimacy before being scammed out of a hotel or flight.
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Booking.com has experienced a rise in travel scams due to AI, according to BBC.
Marnie Wilking, an internet security expert at the company, said there has been “a 500 to 900% increase” in the last 18 months.
Phishing scams, which occur when people are tricked into sharing their financial information, have multiplied since the launch of ChatGPT.
“Of course, we’ve had phishing since the emergence of email, but the increase started shortly after the launch of ChatGPT,” said Wilking.
“Attackers are definitely using AI to launch attacks that mimic emails much better than anything they have done so far.”
HOW IT WORKS
Fraudsters are tricking people into giving out their card numbers and bank details by sending fake internet booking links.
Sites like Booking.com and Airbnb are targeted because they allow people to list their homes as accommodation.
Once someone sends payment, scammers leave hopeful travelers in the dust.
They may even try to get more money from the person by sending follow-up messages, according to the outlet.
Phishing scams are far from new, but telltale signs are no longer possible with new technology.
In the past, it was easy to spot spelling and grammatical errors and quickly realize it was a scam.
However, now AI has made this almost impossible due to its realistic images and much more accurate text, Wilking said at the Collision technology conference in Toronto, according to the BBC.
STEPS TO STOP
Wilking encourages hotels and travelers to use two-step authentication to ensure they don’t get scammed.
Bank tips to avoid scams
As scams become more sophisticated with the use of artificial intelligence, it is important that you know how to identify them:
- Be skeptical of online businesses that seem too good to be true, especially on social media.
- Scammers often use tactics to make you panic so that you make quick decisions – be cautious if you are asked to take immediate action and check who has contacted you.
- Chase Bank warns customers to “never return any unexpected funds without calling Chase first.”
- Never send money to someone you’ve only spoken to online or on the phone, as this is likely a romantic scam.
- Unless you know 100% who you are talking to, never give someone remote access to your device.
- Never accept help from strangers at ATMs and always be careful when making withdrawals.
- Do not send money or click on links that indicate you have won a prize.
Source: Chase.com
Two-step authentication involves a secondary security check, such as entering a temporary code or password to ensure that the site is you.
The expert called this “the best way to combat phishing and credential theft.”
It also pressures people to be more rigorous about the links they click.
Despite attributing the scams to AI technology, it also helped deter scammers.
“We set up AI models to detect them and stop them from getting in there or get them out before there is any reservation,” Wilking explained.
A consumer travel expert argued that travel providers should “step up efforts” and raise awareness about fraud.
“They also have a responsibility to advise travelers on ways to minimize the risk of being scammed,” said Jane Hawkes, further encouraging people to make sure they don’t fall victim to a scam by double and triple checking.
“Check that contact details are readily available on websites and that there is a telephone number – many scam websites purposely don’t have one,” she suggested.
The expert also recommended that travelers book flights and hotels together rather than separately and use a credit card to ensure they are protected.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
